ANative American metal concert pop-up? Free fry bread on Bruin Walk? Book talks and film screenings throughout campus and the greater Los Angeles area? These events are just a taste of past programming promoted on the UCLA American Indian Studies Center’s online calendar. Those who’ve missed these popular events before — won’t have to again.
A recent addition to the center’s community platform, the online calendar is updated regularly. The center helps foster academic research in American Indian studies and also supports events and programming focused on indigenous issues.
This month’s events include a screening of the acclaimed Hulu FX TV show, “Reservation Dogs,” LA Skins Fest and the Hollywood Pow Wow, all co-sponsored by UCLA. Most events on the calendar are free.
Here are some highlights from the calendar:
Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m.
Join the UCLA American Indian Studies Center and the UCLA Film & Television Archive for a screening of two acclaimed episodes of Hulu FX’s “Reservation Dogs,” followed by an in-person conversation with creators Sterlin Harjo and Tazbah Rose Chavez.
“Reservation Dogs,” which landed on 180+ critics’ lists for best TV shows of the year, is a landmark half-hour dramedy that follows the exploits of four Indigenous teenagers in rural Oklahoma. During its three-season run, the show garnered AFI Television Programs of the Year honors twice and also won two Independent Spirit Awards, a Gotham Award and a Peabody Award.
The show was among seven programs recognized in 2022 by the Television Academy as part of its 15th Television Academy Honors, which showcases exceptional programs and the producers who have leveraged the power of television to fuel social change.
The free screening will take place at the Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum at UCLA. No advance reservations required.
Nov. 15, 7:30 p.m.
An Indigenous Present: Indigeneity in Made in L.A. 2023
Celebrating the launch of artist Jeffrey Gibson’s new book, “An Indigenous Present,” this panel will take a closer look at “Made in L.A. 2023: Acts of Living” from the perspective of Indigenous intersectionality.
Artists Teresa Baker, Melissa Cody, Ishi Glinsky and Esteban Ramón Pérez join Gibson and curator Pablo José Ramírez in this conversation on indigeneity through a larger understanding of native land, diasporic and queer histories, mestizaje and ideas of ancestry.
The free event will take place at the Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer. No advance reservations required. “Made in L.A. 2023” is the sixth iteration of the Hammer Museum’s biennial exhibition, which is on view through Dec. 31.
Nov. 14–19
LA Skins Fest, a Native American film festival and pow wow
LA Skins Fest is bringing over 60 Native American films to the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood from Nov. 14 to 19. The event, now in its 17th year, is considered a major launching ground for “Indian Country’s most talked about films.”
This year’s schedule consists of dozens of filmmakers presenting their newest works, artist development programs, tributes to community leaders, special events and diverse categories of film.
The festival will also be host to the Hollywood Pow Wow, on Nov. 18 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Ovation entertainment complex. The free event will feature traditional singing, dancing and youth performances from numerous tribes around the country.